A Real Good Day
by Peggin
Summary: A Spike Redemptionista story (spoilers through BtVS Season 5 "The Body" and AtS Season 2 "Epiphany")
1. chapter 1

> ### A Real Good Day, Part 1
> 
>   
By Peggin (aka SISTAH "Sweet on Spike" Beth, depending on where I'm posting) 
> 
> _Disclaimer: They're not mine, I just wanted to play with them for a little while. No harm intended, only the greatest love and appreciation for the people who have created these fabulous characters and bring them onto my TV screen every week. _
> 
> This story takes place after "The Body". "I Was Made to Love You" never happened, and just to be clear, in my story there is not even the remote possibility of a CyberBuffy. 
> 
> Rated: PG-13 
> 
> Much thanks to cousinjean and to Sylvkie, my wonderful beta-readers, for all their excellent advice. 
> 
> And on to the story! 
> 
> *
> 
> It was a typical evening in Sunnydale. Not many people out, a few vampires wandering about the cemetery. And the Slayer. Always the Slayer. 
> 
> Spike stood and watched as Buffy dusted a vampire. One of his own kind, yet – somehow, these days, he felt so much more kinship with her. Her strength, her power, her beauty. Let's face it, Buffy Summers in Slayer mode was hot. The sexiest thing he'd ever seen. 
> 
> He'd always thought so. Since the first moment he'd laid eyes on her, he'd wanted her. Even when he'd wanted her dead, he'd wanted her. In a way he'd never wanted any of his other victims – with an intensity that could only be described as blood-lust. 
> 
> Sure, he'd killed before. Lots of times. For food. For fun. For the reputation that came with killing. But this Slayer was different from the others. No one else had ever inspired in him what he felt for her. No one had inspired that incredible need. The need to kill. The need for blood. And not just any blood, but her blood. Her life. Her … body. And now, after years of fighting it, he had finally acknowledged the reason for it. He didn't really want her dead at all. He simply wanted her. 
> 
> He loved her. 
> 
> Admitting that to himself had been horrifying at first, but ultimately freeing. Admitting it to her had been humiliating, embarrassing, but also somewhat of a relief. Now she knew how he felt. Now he could pursue her openly, honestly, without all the games he'd been playing to try to get into her good graces. 
> 
> As Spike watched her, he saw three more vampires approach her. He planned to just stand back and admire her work. But to his surprise, the fight soon turned against her. The Slayer wasn't in top form tonight. She could lose. She could die. 
> 
> Spike jumped into the fight, taking out one of the vampires before it even had a chance to be surprised by his attack. With one fewer vamp to fight, the Slayer made quick work of those remaining. Soon it was just the two of them, alone. 
> 
> **** 
> 
> Buffy got up, dusting off her clothes. "What are you doing here, Spike" she spat, not even attempting to hide the loathing in her voice. Perhaps even forcing a little extra venom into the words. 
> 
> "Saving your life, pet. What does it look like?" 
> 
> "I don't need your help!" 
> 
> He looked at her pointedly. "Looks to me like you needed it just a minute ago." 
> 
> "Go. Away. Just go away and leave me alone." She stormed away, heading for home. 
> 
> He could hear the anger and hatred in her voice. But something else, too. Pain. As much as he hated feeling it, seeing her in pain hurt him. He followed after her. "Something's wrong, love. What is it?" 
> 
> **** 
> 
> It disquieted her. It always had. His apparent ability to look into her soul. The way he could see things she kept carefully hidden from her closest friends. That, and the way he could seem to go from completely obnoxious to concerned and compassionate in the space of a heartbeat. 
> 
> And the look he got on his face in those moments. When the menacing visage he typically displayed slipped away and she was left looking at … the only way she could think of to describe it was the face of an angel. There was something morbidly ironic about that. Here he was, the one person in the world she considered evil personified, with a face that could easily adorn the painting of any Biblical angel. 
> 
> Sometimes, in those moments, it was hard to convince herself that she didn't believe it. She had to remind herself that it wasn't real. This concerned act, his recent declarations of love … just more of his twisted mind games. A trick designed to get under her skin. She knew that the moment he got that chip out of his head, he'd come after her. And if she let her guard down now, if she allowed herself to accept, at face value, the compassion he appeared to be offering, it would be her undoing. He'd slip inside her defenses and someday, when she wasn't expecting it, he'd kill her. Because that's what he was. A killer. Chip or no chip, she reminded herself, Spike was a killer. 
> 
> But there were times when she almost allowed herself to forget; when she almost didn't care. 
> 
> The last few days had been the worst of her life. Ever since she had found her mother's lifeless body, she felt like she was hanging on by the end of a thread. There was nobody else to whom she could really tell that. She always felt like she had to be the strong one, the brave one. She had to protect her friends from all the evils of the world. She had to protect Dawn from Glory. How could she expect any of them to rely on her if she let them see her crumble? In a way, Spike was the only one she could really talk to about how she felt. 
> 
> So, although she was sure it was a very bad idea, she heard herself replying to his concerned inquiry. "My mother died." 
> 
> **** 
> 
> Spike was stunned, "Joyce? Joyce died? I thought she was getting better." 
> 
> Buffy climbed up the steps to her back porch, Spike right behind her. "It was sudden. They say there was nothing they could have done, even if she'd been in the hospital when it happened." 
> 
> He gingerly patted her on her back. "I'm so sorry, love. I liked your mum. She always treated me real good. She made me the cocoa with the little marshmallows in it." 
> 
> As Spike spoke, Buffy looked at him again. At that face, that angelic face (hiding a demon's soul, she reminded herself). 
> 
> "How are you holding up? How's the little nip doing?" 
> 
> "Dawn is … freaking. She's staying with Xander and Anya tonight. I just … I couldn't deal with … patrolling and watching … Dawn … and …" the tears she'd been doing her best to hold in check for days suddenly came pouring out in an uncontrollable torrent. 
> 
> **** 
> 
> He'd seen her like this once, a couple of months earlier. He'd been hiding in her basement, watching her cry over the kitchen sink. That time he'd stayed hidden, realizing she needed to be alone. This time he reached out to her. 
> 
> Buffy wasn't sure how it happened, but she found herself in Spike's arms, crying on his shoulder. She felt his cool lips brush across her temple once. Twice. Then more. She lifted her face and he pressed his lips to hers. She responded, wanting, needing some contact with another person. Just someone to hold on to. She could hear him groan and felt his arms tighten around her. It felt so good just to feel something besides pain. She wanted more. She pulled him toward the door. 
> 
> She was surprised when he pulled away. "You know I can't come in, pet." 
> 
> It took her less a second to realize "Oh. Right. Well, I inv--" 
> 
> "No!" He put his hand over her mouth. "That's not what I meant. If I come in there now, we both know where this is leading. You don't want that. Not really. You'd hate yourself in the morning. And, if it's possible, you'd hate me even more than you already do." 
> 
> Even as she heard herself say the words, she couldn't believe she was saying them. "No, Spike. I want you to come inside." 
> 
> She could see him struggle for several seconds before he finally pulled away. "Someday, Summers. Someday. But not now. Not like this." He leaned and stole one last breathtaking kiss before he turned and walked away. 
> 
> Buffy watched him go. Confused, hurt, lonely. She wasn't sure what had possessed her to invite him into her house in the first place. That had definitely been one of her worst ideas ever. She told herself that she was glad he'd walked away. But she couldn't deny feeling a hollowness inside of her, couldn't deny wondering what it would have been like … 
> 
> **** 
> 
> Spike was headed back toward his crypt. Every step was a struggle as he forced himself to continue forward. The desire to turn around, to go back, to take what the Slayer had been offering was almost overwhelming. But he'd meant what he'd said. He wanted her, but not like that. When he had her, he wanted her forever, not some thoughtless fling in a moment of pain and passion. 
> 
> He was so lost in thought and feeling, he didn't notice the creatures surrounding him until he literally bumped into one of them. "Hey, mate, look where you're … going." 
> 
> He looked up and realized that he was surrounded by about 10 of these hideously ugly creatures … scabby, crusty looking little things. One of the creatures spoke, "The magnificent Glorificus would like a word with you." Then he felt more than heard some of the creatures come up behind him. Suddenly everything went black. 
> 
> **** 
> 
> When he came to, he was in a lushly furnished apartment. The woman he remembered trying to fight with at the hospital was standing before him. "Well, it's about time you woke up!" she exclaimed. She sounded miffed, as if he was the one who had inconvenienced her. 
> 
> He remembered that she was strong. Stronger than anyone he had ever fought before. So he was a little wary when he asked, "What do you want with me." 
> 
> "I want my Key. I need it. Soon. The Slayer took it from me, and I want it back. I know you know her. I know you spend time with her. You must know where she put it. And you're going to tell me where I can find it!" 
> 
> "Not bloody likely," he replied. "You don't know much about the Slayer if you think she'd tell _me_ where your shiny, glow-y key thing is." It wasn't exactly a lie. Buffy hadn't told him that Dawn was the Key. And even though Dawn seemed to hate him now as much as the others did, he had no intention of betraying her to this bitch-god. He'd grown rather fond of the bite-sized kid. 
> 
> "This just isn't fair! It's my Key! I need it!" Glory grabbed some shoes off the shelf and threw them across the room. After a moment she seemed to calm down. "Well, at least it's not a total loss. You still have something I need." As she said this, she approached him playfully, almost seductively. She ran her hands over his hair and Spike experienced the strangest sensation, it felt almost like she was sticking her hands right through his skull. 
> 
> Glory looked at him oddly as she withdrew her hands. "Well, that was gross. I can't get anything from you. You're not even human, are you? And what the hell is this?" she asked, holding up a small, innocent looking piece of plastic and metal. "Why would you go around keeping something like this in your head? I could have broken a nail!" 
> 
> Spike looked at it, stunned and bemused. All this time and suddenly, just like that, he was free of that bleeding chip. All he could do was stare at it. It was so small, so nondescript. How could this be the object that had turned his life upside-down? 
> 
> "Ugh." Glory turned to her minions. "He's useless. Why would you bring me someone so completely useless? We're never going to get anything out of him. Just go … get rid of him." She stormed away while her minions grabbed Spike and dragged him away. 
> 
> **** 
> 
> Sometime later (he wasn't sure how long) Spike woke up face down in the sewers. His first thought upon awakening was that Buffy ought to know what had happened. 
> 
> His second thought came to him a little more gradually. Buffy had given him the invitation he needed to enter her house. With the chip out of his head, he could kill the Slayer once and for all. He could slip into her bedroom and drain her blood as she slept in her bed. He forced himself to think about it for a moment, to consider the option, amazed and kind of amused when he realized how little appeal that scenario held. 
> 
> He briefly considered telling Buffy that the chip was gone, but he figured that would just put him at risk of rapidly being turned into a pile of dust. He didn't much fancy that possibility. Perhaps it would be best if he just told her what Glory was up to. He could leave the rest for another day. Or not. Maybe he'd never tell her. As long as she thought he was harmless, he knew she wouldn't kill him. And as long as he was alive, there was at least the slightest chance that he could win her over. 
> 
> Yeah. He decided that was his best choice. Leave well enough alone. Buffy never needed to know about his Glory-sponsored chipectomy. In fact, she didn't need to know he'd even encountered Glory. It's not like the Slayer didn't already know that Glory was after the Key. No. It would be best if he just continued along as if nothing had changed. 
> 
> Of course, everything had changed. That sodding chip was out of his head. For the first time in a long time, the future didn't look quite so grim. In fact, as Spike headed back to his crypt, for the first time in ages, he felt downright cheerful. 
> 
> *
> 
> _To be continued..._


	2. chapter 2

> ### A Real Good Day, Part 2
> 
>   
By Peggin (aka SISTAH "Sweet on Spike" Beth, depending on where I'm posting) 
> 
> _Disclaimer: They're not mine, I just wanted to play with them for a little while. No harm intended, only the greatest love and appreciation for the people who have created these fabulous characters and bring them onto my TV screen every week. _
> 
> This story takes place after "The Body". "I Was Made to Love You" never happened, and just to be clear, in my story there is not even the remote possibility of a CyberBuffy. 
> 
> Rated: PG-13 
> 
> Much thanks to cousinjean, my wonderful beta-reader, for all her excellent advice. 
> 
> And on to the story! 
> 
> *
> 
> Buffy was in her kitchen, making breakfast. She kept glancing out the door toward the back porch, where she had last seen Spike the night before. She still couldn't believe she had done it. What the hell had possessed her? It was bad enough that she had told Spike about her mother, and even worse that she had completely broken down in front of him. But had she actually kissed him? Invited him into her house? 
> 
> She sighed. She decided to just chalk it up to grief-induced insanity. The worst part was trying to decide whether she should ask Willow to do another de-invite. If she didn't, Spike would have free access to enter her house any time he wanted – but how could she ask Willow to do the spell without telling her how Spike had gotten the invitation? She was *so* not up for that particular discussion. 
> 
> After a little more consideration, she decided not to decide just yet. It wasn't like Spike was really dangerous. As long as he had that chip in his head, he couldn't do anything to hurt her or Dawn. She'd wait and see if he came snooping around again. Plus, that would give her time to come up with a good story for Willow. Something other than the truth. There was no way she was ever going to tell any of her friends that she had kissed Spike, or that she had invited him into her house for more. 
> 
> She'd spent a restless night in bed, a big part of her upset that he had walked away. Her sanity had returned with the morning, however, and now she was grateful that he had turned her down. Grateful, but confused. She couldn't figure out what kind of game he was up to this time. Why had he turned her down? Did he think that if he walked away she would start trusting him? That he could turn around and use that against her somehow? She just didn't know what to think. 
> 
> With a deliberate effort, Buffy put all thoughts of Spike out of her mind. She had to go to the Magic Box this morning for some Slayer- training with Giles, then she had to get home and change for her mother's wake that evening. She had too many things going on right now to waste her time worrying about Spike. Hopefully training would give her something to concentrate on, because between her mother's death and the recent weirdness with Spike, she needed something normal to think about. Well, normal for her life, anyway. 
> 
> With yet another sigh, Buffy got up, washed her breakfast dishes, and headed out the door. 
> 
> *** 
> 
> It was strange. He'd never really felt this way before. 
> 
> He just couldn't stop thinking about Joyce. 
> 
> He was sitting in the chair they had once shared, staring at the blank TV screen where they had once watched "Passions" together. And now she was gone. 
> 
> He took a long draw on his cigarette. 
> 
> He didn't know what to make of this feeling. It was like an emptiness inside of him. Joyce had been practically the only person in his entire existence who had ever been nice to him. And now she was gone. No more talks about his love life over a cup of hot chocolate. No more stories about her gallery. 
> 
> He'd never really lost someone before. Someone he cared about. Someone who'd treated him real good. 
> 
> Was this what it felt like when someone died? This emptiness? Had he been responsible for making other people feel this way? He'd never really thought about the consequences of his actions before. Sure, he'd been trying to change lately, but that had been all about Buffy. He wanted to become someone she'd want to be with – but maybe, before that could happen, he had to acknowledge that he hadn't exactly always done the right things in the past. 
> 
> He took another pull on his cigarette. 
> 
> Not that he was going to get all morose and brooding about it, like other vampires he could name. That wouldn't help anyone, and it wouldn't change the past. But it was something to think about for the future. 
> 
> Spike was lost in thought when, suddenly … 
> 
> SLAM! 
> 
> No matter how many times it happened, it made him want to jump out of his skin. There wasn't a person or demon in town who wasn't his enemy. Every time someone burst into his crypt like this, he half expected to find himself on the wrong end of a pointy wooden stick. He rarely expected visitors, but this one was particularly unexpected. And unwelcome. 
> 
> "Oh, it's you. What are you doing here?" you big poof, he finished mentally. 
> 
> Angel lunged at him, grabbing him by the throat and pushing him against the wall. "Are you gunning for Buffy?" 
> 
> "What? No!" 
> 
> "I swear, Spike, if you're thinking of harming one hair on her head, I will kill you in the most painful way imaginable." 
> 
> "Hey, lay off! I don't know where you get your sodding information, Grandpa, but I have no intention of hurting the Slayer." 
> 
> He loved the look that crossed over Angel's face at the word "Grandpa." It was a term he almost never used, but one intended to cause a reaction. A reminder that, to a large extent, Angel was responsible for his existence. He sometimes wondered if that was the reason why Angel had never been able to bring himself to kill him. And Spike enjoyed throwing their relationship in his face. 
> 
> Angel pushed Spike into the wall one more time before releasing his grip. "Oh, please, Spike, after all the crap you've pulled, do you really expect me to believe that you don't want Buffy dead?" 
> 
> "I bloody well don't care if you believe it or not, mate. Hurting Buffy is the last thing I have in mind." 
> 
> "That's not the way Drusilla tells it. She says you've set your sights on the Slayer." 
> 
> "Since when are you and Dru all buddy-buddy?" 
> 
> "That's beside the point, *William*. I want to know what you're planning and I want to know now." 
> 
> Spike flopped back down in his chair and lit another cigarette. "What difference does it make? It's not as if she'll ever have me anyway." 
> 
> "What?" Angel had no idea what to make of that comment. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" 
> 
> "Oh, come off it, Angel. You of all people should know *exactly* what I mean." 
> 
> "Why don't you just explain it to me, Spike" 
> 
> Spike took another long draw on his cigarette. He decided that, after all the grief he had given Angel over falling in love with a Slayer, Angel deserved a chance to get him back a little. "Well, if you must know, what Dru told you wasn't entirely wrong. I have set my sights on the Slayer, just not in the way you're thinking. I've been trying to show her that I don't have to be evil. I can be good. Every once in a while she lets me help her out. I keep hoping that maybe, someday, she'll come to trust me. Maybe even …" 
> 
> He let his voice trail off. He just couldn't bring himself to say the words out loud. Saying them to Buffy had been painful enough. He wasn't ready for the humiliation of saying them to Angel. It didn't matter, though, because he'd said enough for Angel to figure out the rest. 
> 
> Angel looked at him for another second, then did something Spike didn't think he'd ever seen Angel do in 120 years. He burst out laughing. 
> 
> "Oh, please, Spike. Please tell me you don't mean what I think you mean." 
> 
> After another long pull on his cigarette, Spike replied, "What do you think I mean? Is it that she's all I can think about? Dream about? Day and night? God, to hold her in my arms for even a moment. To have her, just once, look at me the way she used to look at you." 
> 
> "You're … pathetic, Spike." 
> 
> Spike smirked. "Tell me something I don't know, mate." 
> 
> "What happened to you?" 
> 
> What the hell, Spike thought, and he launched into the story. His return to Sunnydale a year and a half earlier with the intention of killing the Slayer. His capture by the Initiative. His attack on Willow and discovering he couldn't bite anyone. Buffy and Giles taking him in when he had nowhere else to go last Thanksgiving – sure they'd tied him up, but they could have just left him outside to burn. He told the entire story, right through chaining up Buffy and declaring his love to her. He left out the last few days though. He figured Buffy wouldn't want Angel to know about their shared kiss on her back porch. And Spike knew he wasn't ready for anyone to find out that he was living chip-free these days. 
> 
> "You chained her up? What the hell is the matter with you? Forget for a minute that you never had any chance with Buffy. Did you really think chaining her to a wall and threatening her was going to win her over?" 
> 
> Spike shrugged. "Dru would have liked it." 
> 
> Angel thought about that for less than a second before agreeing. "Yeah, I guess she would, but come on, Spike! Do you think Buffy is anything like Drusilla?" 
> 
> "Suppose not. I guess I really made a mess of things." 
> 
> "Well, it's not like you ever really had a chance in the first place." 
> 
> "It was better before. Before she knew how I feel. She came to me a few times for help. Trusted me to protect her family … Her family! You don't know, do you?" 
> 
> "Know what?" 
> 
> "Buffy's mum died. Had an aneurysm, she did. They're having a wake tonight." It was hard for Spike to say it, but he wanted to do what was best for Buffy. "I know she wouldn't want me there, but I bet she'd be real happy to see you." 
> 
> Angel looked at Spike a little more closely. After everything he'd done in the past few months, who was he to judge someone else's efforts to do good? Even someone like Spike. "You know … I think I believe you. You really have changed. It's not just about that chip holding you back, is it?" 
> 
> "No, it's not. I don't even know what I am anymore. I'm not a vampire, not really. Haven't been for a while. I'm not human either. Don't want to be. The only thing I know for sure is that I love Buffy and I want her to be happy. Preferably with me, but … even without me, I don't want anything happening to her." 
> 
> Angel could barely believe that this was Spike he was talking to. "This is so strange. Last time I saw you, you were having me tortured so you could get that damn ring. Now here we are, sitting and talking like old times." 
> 
> "Not exactly like old times, mate. Back then, you would have been giving me pointers on how to rip out Buffy's throat. Or you would have just gone and done it yourself. We never sat and talked like this before." 
> 
> "No, I guess we haven't." 
> 
> The two vampires sat in silence for a while, not sure what else to say to each other. 
> 
> After a while, Spike broke the silence. "You should go. The wake has already started by now, and Buffy would be glad to see you there." 
> 
> Angel got up to go. "I do believe you've changed, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to trust you. You do anything, *anything* to hurt Buffy, or to put her in danger –" 
> 
> Spike broke in "Yeah, yeah, I know, you'll stake me good and proper. You and the Slayer really need to learn a few new songs." 
> 
> "Just so we're clear. All right. I'm going." Angel turned one last time. "You don't have a soul, Spike, and, chip or no chip, staying away from evil is gonna be hard for you. I know. Sometimes, even with a soul, it's hard for me. I don't know if you'll be able to keep it up, but I'm … proud of you, for trying." 
> 
> As the door to his crypt closed, Spike was surprised by how much that meant to him. After Dru had Turned him, he had spent years trying to gain Angel's approval by doing the most horrible things he could think of. The only time he had ever come close to gaining a word of praise had been after he'd killed his first Slayer, when Angel had allowed that maybe Spike was finally one of them. How ironic that, after all this time, Angel's approval had come over his attempts to turn away from the very evil that Angelus had originally taught him. For the first time ever, the man he had once considered his "Yoda" approved of something he had done. It had been a long time coming, and it felt good. 
> 
> After the last couple of days, Spike felt restless. He decided to go take over Buffy's patrol. Buffy had more important things to think about tonight, and there were sure to be a few vampires or demons wandering about the streets of Sunnydale that he could eliminate for her. 
> 
> Spike headed out into the cool spring evening, closing the door to his crypt behind him. 
> 
> *** 
> 
> The wake had begun barely 20 minutes ago, and it was already one of the worst nights of Buffy's life. 
> 
> There were so many people! All these strangers who had known her mother from the gallery, but who Buffy had never met. She was the one who had lost her mother, yet she was supposed to play hostess to all these strangers. Hello. How did you know my mother. Smile. Nod. Thanks for coming. She had already greeted at least a dozen people she had never laid eyes on before. When was she going to have some time to mourn? 
> 
> After greeting one more stranger, Buffy took a moment to check on Dawn. The poor thing was sitting in the corner, just staring at the open casket. It was almost as if Dawn was trying to will their mother to get up and come back to them. Xander and Willow were sitting on either side of her, trying to talk to her, hoping to get some response, but Dawn was practically catatonic. 
> 
> Buffy knelt in front of her. "Hey, sweetie, how are you doing?" 
> 
> Dawn took her bloodshot eyes away from the casket and looked at Buffy. "I want Mom back." 
> 
> "I know you do baby, I know you do." 
> 
> The two sisters hugged. There was nothing else to say. Nothing but time would make the pain more bearable. 
> 
> Buffy heard Xander say "I don't believe it." She looked up to see what he was talking about. He gestured toward the door, and Buffy turned to look in that direction. 
> 
> Angel. Buffy could barely believe her eyes. She didn't know how he had found out. She didn't care. He was here. She practically ran across the room and let him wrap his arms around her. 
> 
> "Buffy, I'm so sorry. I just heard." 
> 
> "I'm glad you're here." 
> 
> Angel pulled away and looked at her. "How are you?" 
> 
> "Oh, I'll be okay. I'm worried about Dawn, though. She's having a really hard time coping." 
> 
> At the mention of Dawn, Angel experienced a moment of confusion. Who was Dawn? Then he noticed the young teenager sitting across the room, and all these memories came flooding into his head. The moment passed. Of course. Dawn. 
> 
> Angel hugged her one more time, then he pulled away. The two former lovers went to sit in a couple of vacant seats along the back wall. 
> 
> "I've missed you" Buffy said. 
> 
> "I know. I've missed you, too." 
> 
> "So, why don't you come back? You said you left because you wanted me to have a normal life. Well, news flash, Angel, I'm the Slayer. I'm never gonna have a normal life. Don't I at least deserve a chance at a happy one?" 
> 
> Angel didn't know what to say. Too many things had happened. Things that Buffy would never understand. He couldn't tell her about Wolfram and Hart, about locking those lawyers in the wine cellar with Darla and Drusilla, about sleeping with Darla. He'd done too many things to ever go back. It was like the Host had said – he had to move on to the new place, whatever that was. Angel finally decided to tell Buffy as much of the truth as he was ready for her to hear. "I've got a new life in L.A. now. I help people. Cordy and Wesley have put their faith in me. I can't just turn my back on all that." 
> 
> Buffy nodded. She didn't really have time to think about it, because a couple of new strangers had walked through the door. 
> 
> She spent the next hour talking to people she didn't know, checking on Dawn, and fuming because her father hadn't bothered to show. Not that she'd really expected anything different from him. She had spent the summer with him after she'd killed the Master, but she'd hardly seen or spoken to him in the years since then. He was always too busy for them these days. 
> 
> As angry as she was that her father wasn't there, Buffy was also kind of relieved. One of her big fears was that her father would decide he wanted to take Dawn back to L.A. Buffy couldn't let that happen. Losing her mother was bad enough. She didn't think she would be able to get through this if she lost Dawn, too. For the first time, she offered a silent word of thanks to the Monks of the Order of Dagon. They had sent Dawn to her for protection, but Dawn had become so much more than a duty. She was her sister, her family. Dawn wasn't just an obligation. She was a gift. 
> 
> Buffy tore herself away from her silent contemplation long enough to exchange a few words with the last few departing mourners. Soon, the only people left were her "family." Giles, who was more of a father to her than her own father had ever been. Xander and Willow, the brother and sister she'd never had. Dawn, the sister the Dagon Monks had sent her. Even Anya and Tara had stayed the whole evening. 
> 
> Buffy was mildly disappointed when she noticed that Angel had slipped out without saying good-bye. Not that she was really surprised. He had always been bad at good-byes. It was so like him to leave without saying a word. She was surprised at how little it hurt this time, finding him gone. She still loved Angel. She knew a part of her would always love him, but for the first time it occurred to her that maybe she was no longer in love with him. 
> 
> The whole time she'd been with Riley, she had always held a part of herself back. The part that belonged to Angel. And, when Riley had left, she had known that it was in large part because she had never been able to give him 100%. She had worried that maybe she'd never be able to give that to anyone ever again. Now, for the first time, she thought maybe that part was gone. Angel no longer owned that particular piece of her heart. Maybe now she was really ready to fall in love again. 
> 
> At that thought, she thanked the funeral director and left the funeral parlor. She and Dawn climbed into Giles' car for the short trip home. It had been a bad day. She expected tomorrow would be just as bad, if not worse, what with the funeral and all. She decided to give herself a night off from patrolling. All she wanted to do was take a hot bath and go to sleep. 
> 
> *
> 
> _To be continued..._


	3. chapter 3

> ### A Real Good Day, Part 3
> 
>   
By Peggin (aka SISTAH "Sweet on Spike" Beth, depending on where I'm posting) 
> 
> _Disclaimer: They're not mine, I just wanted to play with them for a little while. No harm intended, only the greatest love and appreciation for the people who have created these fabulous characters and bring them onto my TV screen every week. _
> 
> This story takes place after "The Body". "I Was Made to Love You" never happened, and just to be clear, in my story there is not even the remote possibility of a CyberBuffy. 
> 
> Rated: PG-13 
> 
> Much thanks to cousinjean, my wonderful beta-reader, for all her excellent advice. 
> 
> And on to the story! 
> 
> *
> 
> She was having the dreams again. 
> 
> It had been a long time since she'd had the dreams. At first, she tried to dismiss them as simple nightmares. It was easier that way. Nightmares she was used to. Lately, it seemed she had them almost every night. 
> 
> After having the same dream three nights running, though, she could no longer deny that these dreams were no ordinary nightmares. These were Slayer dreams. 
> 
> The image of the Hellmouth opening and unleashing the forces of some demon dimension was vividly clear; but the rest of the images, of people mostly, confused her. Some of them she recognized, others she didn't: an extremely powerful, extremely evil woman; a dark haired man in hospital scrubs; a bunch of nasty looking demons; men, human beings, who wore chainmail and had strange tattoos on their foreheads; a peroxide-blonde vampire; a teenage girl. 
> 
> So many images – but none gave her any idea of what she was supposed to do about it. 
> 
> Not that there was anything she really could do about it. Not as long as she was stuck behind these prison walls, two hours and a million miles away from Sunnydale. 
> 
> Faith didn't know what to do. She knew, however, that she had to do something. She wouldn't be having the dreams if she wasn't supposed to do something. 
> 
> There was only one person she could think of who might want to help her. Angel. He had been willing to give her a chance before. Even as she had been trying to kill him, he had been trying to save her. No one but Angel understood the nearly irresistible pull of evil and the struggle to resist it; the struggle for redemption. Everyone else considered her a lost cause … beyond help. Not that she could blame any of them. She'd gone out of her way to prove them right. 
> 
> Only Angel had believed there was still good in her. He'd seen through her evil deeds and recognized a death wish – a cry for help. He had helped her. Maybe he would help her again. 
> 
> Later, during recreation hour, Faith got permission to use the phone. She called information to get the number and soon she heard a voice saying, "Angel Investigations. We help the helpless." 
> 
> Damn. Why did it have to be him? Of all the horrible things she had to pay for, Wesley was the one she regretted the most. He'd been good to her. She vividly recalled his words to her: "It's not too late to let me help you." "I realize there've been failures … on both sides. But I also believe in my heart that you are not a bad person." Wesley had wanted to help her, and how had she repaid him? With brutal torture. 
> 
> She almost hung up. She considered disguising her voice and asking for Angel, but she decided she couldn't do that. If she was really going to change, she had to face the things she had done. 
> 
> "Hey, Wesley." 
> 
> *** 
> 
> The hesitant female voice on the other end of the line surprised him. He sat down abruptly, wincing a little at the sudden pain from his still-healing bullet wound. "Hello, Faith. I certainly wasn't expecting to hear your voice." 
> 
> "Yeah. I guess not. I was calling for Angel, but … listen, I know it doesn't mean much, but for what it's worth, I'm … I'm sorry … for what I did to you." 
> 
> "No, Faith, you're wrong. It does mean something." He paused for a second. "But, as for the other, I'm afraid Angel is out of town at the moment." 
> 
> "Oh." Well, Faith thought, that was disappointing. Now what was she going to do? 
> 
> "Is there, perhaps, something *I* could help you with?" 
> 
> Faith smiled at his precisely worded question. Same old Wesley. He'd lightened up a bit since his Sunnydale days, but in many ways he was still the same stuffy old Brit she remembered. "Well, I don't know. Maybe nobody can help. I've been having dreams. Slayer dreams. About the Hellmouth opening, and a whole bunch of other stuff I'm not sure I understand." 
> 
> "If you want someone to warn Buffy, you don't need Angel for that." 
> 
> "Yeah, like she'd listen to me. I'm not exactly her favorite person, you know." 
> 
> "If you could tell me a little about what you've seen, I suppose I could call Giles with the information." 
> 
> "Yeah. Okay. I guess that would work." Faith went on to describe what she had seen. There wasn't a lot, and much of it didn't make any sense to her, but maybe it would help Buffy. She could never make things up to B, she knew that, but she had to do what she could. 
> 
> "I just wish I could do more, Wes. It's just so … I mean, I know I belong in here. I have to pay for all the things I did. But, sometimes I just … I mean, I'm a *Slayer*. I should be out there fighting the evil. I feel so useless in here." 
> 
> "Yes, I imagine it must be rather frustrating for you." 
> 
> "Well, anyway, you'll make sure B knows about the dreams, right?" 
> 
> "Certainly. Well, I should go now, so I can ring up Giles." Wesley paused for a moment. "Faith … good luck. I do believe you want to make peace with the people you've harmed. But, more importantly, Faith, you have to make peace with yourself." 
> 
> This was getting too personal. It made her uncomfortable. "Yeah, whatever. Look, rec hour is almost over, so I gotta book. Thanks for your help, Wes. I only hope it helps Buffy a little. Bye." 
> 
> Wesley sat looking at the phone for several long moments, considering his options. He remembered the way Faith had collapsed, crying, into Angel's arms last year. The way she had begged Angel to kill her for all the bad things she had done. The way, in the end, she had turned herself over to the police rather than let Angel come to harm. He knew that Angel believed Faith really had changed. Wesley decided that he believed it, too. Maybe there was a way he could help her to prove herself. 
> 
> He picked up the phone once again and dialed a number. "Yes, hello. I need to speak with Quentin Travers, please." 
> 
> *** 
> 
> It had been two days since she had spoken with Wesley, and she'd hardly exchanged a word with anyone since hanging up the phone. The other women in the prison tended to leave Faith alone. At first, quite a few had given her a hard time. Pretty, petite little thing like her. A couple of Berthas, who obviously had no idea that Faith was a Slayer, or even what a Slayer was, had figured she would be an easy mark. Boy had they been wrong. 
> 
> Now most of the other inmates hardly ever spoke to her. Faith preferred it that way. Which was why she was surprised when one of her fellow inmates approached her. 
> 
> "I don't know how you done it, little girl. I never done half the nasty stuff they say you did. I ain't never killed nobody, and I been in here 5 years. You, you're barely here a year! It ain't right." 
> 
> "What are you talking about, Sally?" 
> 
> "You! The warden's in a meetin' with a couple of stuffed-shirt looking British types. Rumor has it one of them got a pardon, signed by the governor, in his prissy little hands. You're outta here. It ain't fair," Sally concluded as she walked away, shaking her head. 
> 
> British? Damn. Faith knew what that meant. The Council. If they got their hands on her, who knew what they would do. Most likely lock her up in chains again and throw her in some dungeon in England. If anyone had given her a choice between prison and the Council, there was no contest. She'd much rather stay right where she was, but this was the Council. Nobody was gonna give her a choice. 
> 
> It wasn't long before one of the guards came and took her to the warden's office. 
> 
> The warden was there, along with Wesley and Quentin Travers. When she entered the room, all it took was a glance from Travers and the warden left them alone in his office, muttering something about business he had to take care of. 
> 
> Travers spoke first. "Hello, Faith. Please have a seat. We haven't much time, so let me get right to the point. The Council has arranged for your release from prison and we are prepared to reinstate you to your Slayer duties. On a probationary basis, of course." 
> 
> That wasn't what she had been expecting. "I don't get it. You can just come in here and, suddenly, just like that, I walk?" She looked at Wesley. "Can they really do that?" 
> 
> "The Council has a great deal of power, Faith. There is very little they can't accomplish when they set their minds to it." 
> 
> Travers broke in. "It is only through your former Watcher's intervention that we have decided to take this extraordinary step. There is a great evil about to arise on the Hellmouth. Wesley has convinced us that having two Slayers there to fight it would be to our advantage." 
> 
> She couldn't believed this was happening. "You did this, Wes? For me?" 
> 
> Travers was the one who responded. "Not for you alone. For the world. Despite your questionable history, you are a Slayer. You can accomplish more good on the Hellmouth than you can locked up behind these walls." 
> 
> Faith looked at Wesley again. "Is this for real? They really want me back in Sunnydale? This … isn't just some trick to get me out of here so they can chain me up and take me back to England?" 
> 
> Wesley winced a little at this reminder of the fact that he was not entirely blameless in Faith's fall from grace. He felt more strongly than ever that he needed to do what he could to help her redeem herself. After all, he thought, we at Angel Investigations are in the business of saving souls. And he believed that Faith had a soul worth saving. 
> 
> "This is real, Faith. The other day, you told me that you believe you should be out there fighting the evil. Well, the evil arising in Sunnydale is great. Worse than anything you've ever faced. Buffy may be unable to defeat it alone. If you're willing to resume your sacred obligation, you could be a great asset to the Council." 
> 
> "Who … are you gonna be my Watcher again?" 
> 
> "No, not I. I am no longer part of the Council." 
> 
> "Then who?" 
> 
> Again, it was Travers who responded. "For the time being, Mr. Giles will serve as your watcher." 
> 
> "Giles? There's no way he's gonna want to be my Watcher. He won't do it." 
> 
> "Oh, I think he will. He works for us, and we don't intend to give him any choice in the matter. You will get a new Watcher eventually, but we can't wait until then. Mr. Giles is already established in Sunnydale, and time is of the essence. We can't afford to wait until a new Watcher can be selected for you. " 
> 
> Faith looked back at Wesley again and he could see the uncertainty in her eyes. "Don't worry, Faith. I'll talk to Giles before you depart for Sunnydale. I'll do what I can to smooth things over for you." 
> 
> "So, this is, like, really for real? I'm outta here? I'm, like, free?" 
> 
> "Free of prison, Faith," Travers responded. "But, be assured, the Council will be watching you closely. If you revert to your old ways, we have methods of punishing you that are far worse than anything you've experienced here in the California State prison system. Now, if you would please go and gather your belongings, we can be on our way." 
> 
> "Gather my …. Oh, forget that. I don't have anything here I want to keep. You know me, travel light and all that." 
> 
> Wesley rose from his chair. "It's not going to be easy for you, Faith. You will have to work quite closely with Buffy and Giles. It will be difficult, perhaps even impossible, for you to earn their trust. But I want you to know that, if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm just a phone call away." 
> 
> How could he be so nice to her after everything she had done to him? If Faith had been the crying kind, she probably would have broken down at that. As it was, though, she just looked down at the floor and muttered something incoherent. 
> 
> Mr. Travers opened the door and signaled to the warden. "We're ready." 
> 
> The warden came back into the office. He gave Faith a couple of papers to sign. Then Wesley handed her a shopping bag. "I assumed you would rather not go out wearing that prison garb. This seemed more the style I remember you wearing. I hope I got the size right." At that she nearly did cry. 
> 
> She took the package and quickly went into the bathroom off of the warden's office. It only took her a minute to change, and then just a few minutes later she was walking out the prison gates. She looked up at the sky. She'd seen it every day from the prison yard, yet somehow it looked so much bluer from the outside. 
> 
> Faith smiled. For the first time in over two years, she felt like her life was actually headed in the right direction. 
> 
> *** 
> 
> "They can't do this to me!" 
> 
> Giles was having a hard time getting Buffy to calm down. "I'm no more pleased about it than you are. But the Council feels –" 
> 
> "I don't care what the Council feels! Faith didn't steal the Council's body and almost get them killed and sleep with their boyfriend!" 
> 
> "Well, no, I suppose not. But, Buffy, there's simply nothing we can do about it. The Council has made its decision, and we are just going to have to make the best of it." 
> 
> "I don't want to make the best of it. There is no best. There's only bad. This is bad. Faith! I don't want her here." 
> 
> "Buffy, Wesley told me that he believes she has changed." 
> 
> "Wesley. Yeah, he's a real brain surgeon. He's the one who tried to take her back to England in chains in the first place. That's when she really went all psycho-loony on us." 
> 
> "I'm not suggesting that you should accept her return with open arms, or that you should give her your unconditional trust. I know I don't plan to. But the fact remains, she is coming here, whether we like it or not. She says she wants to help you fight Glory. Perhaps it would be wise if we gave her a chance to prove herself." 
> 
> Buffy sighed. This was really going to happen, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. "Okay. She can fight vampires. She can even fight Glory. But no way are we telling her anything about Dawn." 
> 
> "I agree completely. Considering her history, it would be unwise to trust her with so important a secret." 
> 
> "Great." Buffy was still annoyed that Faith was being thrown at her like this. She felt restless. "I think I'm gonna go patrol now. You want me to stop back here before I head for home?" 
> 
> "No, no. I'm just about done here. Unfortunately," Giles gestured to the open books on the table in front of him, "these books contain very little useful information about how we can defeat Glory or about why she needs this Key." 
> 
> "Okay. See you tomorrow then." Buffy got up from the table and began gearing up with stakes and crosses. 
> 
> The door to the Magic Box opened, and they both turned in time to see Quentin Travers walk through with Faith close behind him. 
> 
> "Hello, Ms. Summers. Mr. Giles, I've come to deliver your new charge to you." 
> 
> Faith stood beside Travers and smiled hesitantly. "Hey, B." 
> 
> "Faith." Buffy said, in the coldest voice she could manage, before turning to Travers. "You've come at a bad time. I'm just heading out to patrol." 
> 
> "Excellent. Faith can accompany you on your patrol while I speak with Mr. Giles." 
> 
> Buffy started to protest, but one look at Travers convinced her that there would be no changing his mind. She remembered his threats to have Giles deported. She had managed to gain the upper hand the last time the Council had come around, but that was in large part because they needed a Slayer as much as she needed their help getting information about Glory. Now, with Faith out of prison and working for the Council, they had their Slayer. She'd better try to cooperate, or they might decide they didn't need her anymore and make good on their threats. She couldn't take losing Giles. Not now. Not so soon after losing her mother. 
> 
> As the two Slayers left the magic shop, Buffy turned to Faith with undisguised loathing on her face. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I'm not buying it. You want to patrol, go ahead. The Council wants us to work together, and I'm willing to try to play nice. But when we're not patrolling, you better just stay the hell away from me and my friends. Are we clear?" 
> 
> "Yeah. We're clear." 
> 
> "Fine." 
> 
> As the two Slayers headed off towards the nearest cemetery, their thoughts could not have been more different. 
> 
> Buffy was thinking that her life could not possibly suck any worse than it did at that moment. 
> 
> Faith was thinking that this was the best day that she'd had in as long as she could remember. 
> 
> *
> 
> _To be continued..._


	4. chapter 4

> A Real Good Day, Part 4  
By Peggin (aka SISTAH "Sweet on Spike" Beth, depending on where I'm posting) 
> 
> _Disclaimer: They're not mine, I just wanted to play with them for a little while. No harm intended, only the greatest love and appreciation for the people who have created these fabulous characters and bring them onto my TV screen every week. _
> 
> This story takes place after "The Body". "I Was Made to Love You" never happened, and just to be clear, in my story there is not even the remote possibility of a CyberBuffy. 
> 
> Rated: PG-13 
> 
> Much thanks to cousinjean, my wonderful beta-reader, for all her excellent advice. 
> 
> And on to the story! 
> 
> *
> 
> "This is terrible!" 
> 
> The rest of the core Scooby Gang, sitting around the table at the Magic Box, had to agree with Willow's assessment. 
> 
> "I mean, how could this happen?" 
> 
> "I'm still kinda reeling from it myself," Buffy replied. "I can't believe they just dumped her on me like this." 
> 
> "Her? Who her? What are you talking about?" 
> 
> "The same thing we've all been talking about for the last ten minutes, Will: the Council springing Faith out of prison and sending her here to be my slay-mate. What are you talking about?" 
> 
> "I'm talking about getting an A-minus on my Creative Writing paper." 
> 
> Buffy wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond. "Um, congratulations?" 
> 
> "An A-minus! _Minus_. That's like … less than an A! Look at this. She wrote, 'While I give you points for creativity, next time try a subject matter that is a little more grounded in reality.' Can you believe that? Not grounded in reality? I wrote about the Master getting free and the Hellmouth opening. That actually happened!" 
> 
> "I'm sure we're all very saddened by your academic failure, Will," Xander broke in to Willow's rant. "But do you think you could focus for a few minutes on a problem that's actually a problem?" 
> 
> With an annoyed look at Xander, Willow made an effort to concentrate. "Right. Council. Faith. Focusing." 
> 
> "The thing is," Buffy said, "she can't know anything about Dawn. The Council may trust her, but I don't. If Faith finds out, and she thinks it could help her, who knows what she would do?" 
> 
> Giles looked up from his book long enough to say, "I think we can all agree that it would be best to keep that particular secret from Faith. So now, perhaps we can move along to more pressing matters, such as Glory?" 
> 
> "You find anything new in those books?" Xander asked. 
> 
> "Nothing," Giles admitted "Just more of the same next-to-nothing that we already know. She's one of three hell gods that rule over a particularly dreadful demon dimension." 
> 
> "I'm really not loving that 'one of three' business." Willow turned to Giles. "Do you think we'll have to deal with all three of them?" 
> 
> "Well, there hasn't been any sign of the other two to date, so I'm certainly hoping that won't be the case." Giles looked back to his books. "I just hope we can find a way to stop her before it's too late." 
> 
> "And before she figures out that my sister is her Key," Buffy added. 
> 
> "Well, what about a spell? Do you think we could stop her with a spell?" 
> 
> Giles opened up another volume. "Willow, the last time you tried a spell on Glory, things went rather badly for you. I'm afraid if you try it again, you could be injured even worse than before." 
> 
> "Hey," Xander interjected, "maybe we can take her out with a rocket launcher." 
> 
> "Geez, Xander," Buffy chided, "what is it with you? You have one good plan one time, and that's, like, your answer to everything for the rest of your life?" 
> 
> "Perhaps we should attempt to find out more about these Knights of Byzantium." Giles turned to Buffy. "From what you told us, they certainly seem to be opposed to Glory. Perhaps, if we could convince them that we are all on the same side, they could be an asset to us." 
> 
> Buffy considered the suggestion. "I don't know … maybe. I mean, there's been no sign of them since that first attack. Besides, they seemed pretty keen on destroying the Key. I don't think we can risk them finding out that it's Dawn." 
> 
> The mood around the table was glum. They were getting nowhere fast on learning about Glory. They had no idea how to fight her, or how to keep her away from Dawn. There wasn't anything in Giles' books to help them. Even the vast resources of the Watchers' Council Library seemed to be coming up empty. 
> 
> Buffy got up from the table. "Well, I'd better go. I told Anya I wouldn't be too late. I know babysitting Dawn isn't her favorite way to spend an evening. Besides, Glory or no Glory, there are still vampires crawling all over this town, so I've gotta go have some patrolling with Faith fun." 
> 
> "Yeah, I think I'm gonna take off, too," added Willow. "Tara had to go to a lecture tonight for one of her classes, and I promised I'd be home when she got back." 
> 
> "There doesn't seem to be anything new here," Giles gestured toward the pile of books, "so I don't see any reason for us to stay here any longer. It's getting late, so perhaps we should all head for home." 
> 
> The gang all headed out the door. "There has to be something somewhere. Something we are overlooking," Giles muttered, taking one last look at the pile of books on the table before locking up for the night. 
> 
> *** 
> 
> Over the next few days, a kind of uneasy truce developed between the two Slayers. Buffy still went out of her way on a daily basis to make it clear that she was less than thrilled with Faith's return. Faith figured she could deal with that. It wasn't like she didn't deserve it, after all. 
> 
> Besides, it really seemed like B was starting to come around. Oh, she still treated Faith like crap, no question about that. After a week of fighting side by side every night, however, it seemed to Faith that Buffy's heart was no longer in it; like maybe she was making a deliberate effort to hold on to the hatred. 
> 
> In the darkness of night, Faith could almost convince herself that things were back like they had been before she had accidentally killed the Deputy Mayor. Before her whole world had gone to hell. When they were out on patrol, Buffy had enough common sense to let go of her hostility. They fought side by side; allies if not friends. 
> 
> "Faith, look out!" 
> 
> Faith spun around just in time to see the vampire two feet behind her. One good kick in the head, a couple of punches to his midriff, and a quick stake through the heart. Dust. 
> 
> She loved doing that. She never got why B tried so hard to pretend that being a Slayer was a job. It wasn't a job to Faith. It was part of her. It was who she was. Fighting the vamps, killing them, that moment when she could see the look of comprehension in their eyes right before they exploded into ashes. She loved it. It made her feel alive. 
> 
> After a year behind bars, a year during which the only demons she'd been able to fight were the ones in her dreams, this past week of freedom and slaying had been the best of her life. Like her birthday and Christmas rolled into one. Not that she'd ever gotten anything on either of those occasions – but being a Slayer made up for all that. 
> 
> Buffy took a quick look around. "That's five, and I don't see any more fresh graves. I think that's enough slayage for one night. Ready to call it quits?" 
> 
> "Sure thing B. I think I'm gonna head over and check out the Bronze action." Faith paused before asking, "Wanna come with?" She already knew what the answer was going to be. 
> 
> "No. I'm going home. I couldn't get anyone to stay with Dawn tonight. She hasn't been handling losing Mom that well, and I don't like leaving her by herself for too long." 
> 
> Yeah, Faith thought as she watched Buffy head for home. It was always something. Giles needs me to help him with some research; I have an early class; I promised Willow I'd drop by. Seven nights since she'd been back, seven different excuses why Buffy had to take off the moment the slaying was done. Faith knew they were all just excuses and that Buffy simply wanted to get out of her sight. Sure, she understood the reason. What she'd done to Buffy was pretty extreme. Still, it hurt. 
> 
> They'd been almost friends once, the closest Faith had ever been to having a real friend. Before she'd gotten her Slayer powers, she'd just been this loser kid with an abusive, alcoholic mother. The other kids had mostly ignored her. None of the girls at her old school back in Boston could be bothered to give her the time of day. As for the guys, they had only paid attention to her long enough to have a little fun between the sheets. 
> 
> The day she'd found out she had a special Destiny, she'd dropped out of school and walked out of the hovel her mother called an apartment without a moment's hesitation. Good riddance. 
> 
> Her first Watcher had been all right. He'd treated her better than anyone else ever had. When Kakistos had killed him, Faith had freaked. She ran off. She'd heard of Buffy, the other Slayer, and thought that maybe, on the other side of the country in a little town called Sunnydale, was someone she might be able to connect with. A friend. A sister. 
> 
> When she'd first arrived in to Sunnydale, she'd almost believed it was going to happen. All of Buffy's friends had initially seemed to accept her. She remembered that day they had shown her around the school, pointing out all the spots where horrible things had happened to them. That had been a great day. She'd thought they were a kick. She told them that, if she'd had friends like them in high school, she might have felt bad about dropping out. 
> 
> She and Buffy had been bonding. It was almost like having a real friend. Until that horrible night when the Deputy Mayor had come out of nowhere; when she had mistaken him for a vampire and driven a stake through his heart. Faith hadn't been able to deal with that. She'd dumped the body in an attempt to make the problem go away, but that had just made things worse for her. When the Watchers had come and tried to remove her to England, she had snapped. 
> 
> Going to the Mayor had been the wrong thing to do. She knew that. She'd known it even then, but she had wanted to do something to get back at Buffy and all her little Scooby pals for turning their backs on her. Besides, the Mayor had been so good to her. He treated her like she'd always thought a father would treat his daughter. It was hard to see the evil when someone was giving you everything you'd ever wanted. A father … a family. 
> 
> Faith forced herself out of her silent contemplation. Suddenly, she just wasn't in the mood for the Bronze. She needed something to take her mind off her problems. Maybe there were no more fresh graves here, but Sunnydale had no shortage of cemeteries. No shortage of vampires, either. Faith figured she could take a sweep of a couple of the other graveyards before she headed back to the flea-bag hotel the Council had sprung for. She needed at least one more good slay before she turned in for the night. 
> 
> *** 
> 
> Spike saw two vampires disappear behind the bushes. There was some commotion, some noise, and then nothing but silence. He knew what that meant. Walking toward those same bushes, he smiled in anticipation. He hadn't seen the Slayer in over a week. She probably wouldn't be all that pleased to see him, but he missed her. 
> 
> "Hello, Slayer." 
> 
> The young woman who emerged from the bushes was not who he was expecting. This was someone he had never laid eyes on before. That fact had only an instant to register before she came at him, stake raised. 
> 
> "Hello, vampire." 
> 
> "Hey, hey, wait. Hold on just a minute. Who the bloody hell are you?" 
> 
> "I thought we just covered that, bleach boy. I'm the Slayer, and you're about to be dust." 
> 
> "Hold off! You can't be the bloody Slayer. I happen to know the Slayer quite well, and you're not her. For you to be the Slayer …" 
> 
> Words he had uttered to Angel a century earlier echoed through his mind: "The way you tell it, one Slayer snuffs it, another one rises. I figure there's a new Chosen One getting all chosen as we speak." 
> 
> "That would mean Buffy …" He felt like he wanted to pass out. "How? … When?" 
> 
> Faith lowered her stake and looked at him a little more closely. "Hey, don't I know you?" 
> 
> Spike didn't respond, he just stood there looking at her with disbelief. After the way she had taken out those vampires in the bushes, there was no question in his mind that this girl was a Slayer. He didn't want to believe Buffy was gone, but the proof was standing in front of him. 
> 
> "Yeah! I do know you! Hah! Spike! William the Bloody. Still got that wicked little bug zapper in your head? Maybe I don't have to kill you after all." 
> 
> How did she know him? He was sure he had never laid eyes on her before. "Who the bloody hell _are_ you?" 
> 
> "Name's Faith." 
> 
> Faith. That rang a bell. Xander's description of a Rogue Slayer came back to him. "Dark hair. Yay tall, name of Faith, criminally insane." He breathed a sigh of relief. If this was the same Faith, then nothing had happened to Buffy. 
> 
> "Faith. I've heard of you. Aren't you supposed to be in prison or something?" 
> 
> "I was." Faith sat down on a headstone and shrugged. "I'm out now." 
> 
> "All rehabilitated and ready to fight for the home team again, eh?" 
> 
> "Something like that." 
> 
> "And Buffy's okay with this?" 
> 
> "She's dealing." 
> 
> "So that's the way it is, then." Spike muttered. "Everyone gets a free pass except for Spike." 
> 
> "What did you say?" 
> 
> "What? Oh, nothing, love." Spike took out a cigarette and lit it. 
> 
> "So, B doesn't have a problem with you walking and talking, so long as you've got that chip in your head, huh? She always did have a problem killing things when she doesn't think they're a deadly threat to humanity. Still, knowing your history, I'm surprised she hasn't felt an urge to turn you into a pile of dust." 
> 
> "She likes to talk about it all the time, but so far I'm still here." Spike took a drag on his cigarette. "So, how is it you know me when I'm sure I never met you before?" 
> 
> "Oh, we've met." 
> 
> "Have not. I've got a thing for Slayers; I think I'd remember if I met you." 
> 
> Faith smiled. "Well, I wasn't exactly … myself at the time." 
> 
> Spike looked at her, waiting for more. 
> 
> "It's kind of complicated. We met at the Bronze one night, about a year ago. Except I wasn't me. I was Buffy." 
> 
> Spike looked at her like she was insane. "You were Buffy?" 
> 
> "Um hum. I had this little device thing that switched us. I was her and she was me." 
> 
> "And we met at the Bronze?" Spike asked skeptically. 
> 
> "Oh, yeah." Faith stood up. "You don't believe me, do you? Let's see … how did that go?" She got a mischievous grin on her face as she took a few steps to bridge the gap between them. "I could be rich. I could be famous. I could have anything. Anyone." Faith stepped even closer, so that there were mere inches between them, and put her hand on Spike's chest before continuing in a sultry voice. "Even you, Spike. I could ride you at a gallop until your legs buckled and your eyes rolled up. I've got muscles you've never even dreamed of. I could squeeze you until you pop like warm champagne and you'd beg me to hurt you just a little bit more. And you know why I don't? … Because it's wrong." Finished with her demonstration, Faith stepped back and gave Spike another wicked grin. 
> 
> It took Spike a moment to recover, and when he did, all he could think of to say was, "Oh. That night." That was one memory that was permanently imprinted in his mind. "That was you? Actually, that makes sense. I always just figured she was drunk off her gourd when she said that. I should have known something was up. Even drunk, Buffy would never talk like that. … Not to me, anyway." 
> 
> *** 
> 
> The vampire had muttered that last bit under is breath, but Faith caught it anyway. 
> 
> So that's the way things are, Faith thought. Another vampire with the hots for Buffy. What is it with that girl? 
> 
> Spike pointed at something behind Faith. "Here comes trouble." 
> 
> Faith turned in the direction Spike indicated and saw a group of four vampires approaching. 
> 
> She got the first vamp quickly; one fast jab of her stake through his heart and he was dust. As she turned to face the second, Faith was vaguely aware of Spike fighting one of the remaining attackers, but she didn't have time to think about that. She had two vampires of her own to contend with. 
> 
> She gave one a fast kick in the gut, grabbed the other one and threw him against the wall of a nearby mausoleum. She turned back just in time to see the first vampire running back at her. He tackled her and they rolled on the ground. Faith ended up on top, pulled out her stake, and plunged it downwards. 
> 
> Just as Faith staked him, the one she had tossed grabbed her from behind. He pinned her arms to her side and knocked the stake out of her hand. She could feel his mouth descending toward her neck. For a second, Faith thought it was over. 
> 
> Spike, who had just finished off the fourth vampire himself, grabbed the vamp and pulled him off of Faith. She quickly regrouped, retrieved her stake, and plunged it through the vampire's heart. 
> 
> She turned back to Spike. "Wow, thanks." 
> 
> "Excuse me? What did you just say?" 
> 
> "I said thanks." 
> 
> "Sorry. I'm just not used to hearing Slayers say things like that." 
> 
> "Why wouldn't I thank you? That last one was wicked strong. He almost got me. You kinda saved my life there. … So, let me get this straight. You are a vampire, right?" 
> 
> "Last time I checked." 
> 
> "So, what are you doing killing other vampires to protect Slayers?" 
> 
> "Well, the chip keeps me from hurting humans, but I still like a spot of violence now and again. Fellow's gotta have a hobby, you know." 
> 
> Faith laughed. "You know, for an evil undead guy, you're pretty okay." 
> 
> "Yeah, well, maybe you could try telling that to a certain other Slayer we both know." 
> 
> With that, Faith decided it was time to call it a night. Heading back to the hotel, she couldn't help shaking her head at the absurdity of the evening's events. A soulless vampire with a computer chip in his head saving the life of a Slayer. If she had ever told anyone back in Boston a story like that, she would have had to sell it as fiction. Nobody would ever believe it otherwise. 
> 
> But it was just another typical day on the Hellmouth. Sunnydale had to be the weirdest town anywhere. 
> 
> *
> 
> _To be continued... _


End file.
